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Continuous Traumatic Stress and the Life Cycle: Exposure to Repeated Political Violence in Israel

  • Child and Family Disaster Psychiatry (B Pfefferbaum, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Millions of individuals and families live under continual exposure to threat such as protracted socio-political conflict or community violence facing current and future danger. The construct of continuous traumatic stress (CTS) was suggested as a supplement perspective for the understanding of the specific impact of living under both current and realistic future threat. Yet, the unique parameters, utility, and validity of the construct CTS are underexplored.

Recent Findings

Currently, CTS describes both the exposure and the unique clinical conglomerate of distress. In this paper, we first elaborate on the rationale for the construct of CTS. Then, we present evidence on the consequences of exposure to CTS in the Israeli context of continual ongoing and prolonged political violence.

Summary

Research on CTS is presented across the life cycle with an emphasis on risk and protective factors from a developmental perspective. We conclude with implications for research, assessment, and interventions.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Meir Fox for his help in literature review and to Rachel Heller for editing the manuscript.

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  1. Paul Baerwald School of Social work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, 91905, Jerusalem, Israel

    Ruth Pat-Horenczyk & Miriam Schiff

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  1. Ruth Pat-Horenczyk
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Correspondence to Ruth Pat-Horenczyk.

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Pat-Horenczyk, R., Schiff, M. Continuous Traumatic Stress and the Life Cycle: Exposure to Repeated Political Violence in Israel. Curr Psychiatry Rep 21, 71 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-1060-x

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